Fluid regulating system



Sept. 29, 1931. v. v. VEENSCHOTEN 1,824,969 I FLUID REGULATING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 27') 192 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 29, 1931. v. \(EENSCHO IEN 1,824,969

' I FLUID REGULATING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 27 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VINCENT V. VEENSCHOTEN, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, A SSIGNOR TO NORTHERN EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA FLUID REGULATING SYSTEM Application filed September 27, 1926. Serial No. 137,850.

This invention relates to feed water regulators for controlling the flow of water to boilers, or for other purposes, and it has for one of its objects controlling the flow according to the elevation of the water level in the boiler. It has for another object controlling the opening of the feed-water valve according to the drop in pressure through the valve, so as to more effectively control the flow to the boiler, this drop in pressure to be maintained constant normally, but to be varied when desired according to the needs of the boiler. Other objects of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of-the accompanying drawings and the following description thereof.

Of the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of an entire system, which embodies the features of my invention, applied to certain apparatus, the drawing being'more or less diagrammatic; and Fig. 2 is a similar elevation largely in section, showing the apparatus enlarged and in detail.

My system could be applied to many systems involving the transmission of fluids under pressure, but for convenience in describing, I have illustrated and described the system as applied to an ordinary steam boiler 5, in which it is desired to control suitably the water-level elevation. The water is fed to the boiler by means of a feed water pipe 6 connected to the boiler in any suitable manner, the water being controlled by the feed-water valve 7. The primary control of this valve depends upon. a thermostat 8, which, in this instance, consists of a vertically mounted tube which has its upper end connected to the steam space of the boiler by a pipe 9 and its lower end connected to the water space of the boiler by a pipe 10. The tube 8, however, may be inclined if desired. The thermostat is connected to the pipe '9 by means of a coupling '11, whi'chis firmly fixed in place; and is connected to the pipe 10 by means of a slidably mounted block 12 which forms an elbow to connect the two pipes. As the water level in the boiler rises the level of the water in the tube 8 will also rise, and the temperature of the tube will decrease and Fixed to the block 12 is a rod 13 which is i also fixed to the lower plate 14 of a suitable collapsible cylinder or chamber, such as the annular chamber 15. The walls of this chamber are made of fiexible'metal and the chamber may be collapsed or expanded by the raising and lowering of the plate 14, the upper wall of the casing being fixed to the upper plate 16. This plate 16 is rigidly connected to the coupling 11 by means of bars 17, and thus is held immovable. The chamber 15 is filled with a liquid such as oil and is connected, by means .of a pipe 18, with a chamber 19 also filled with oil. The chamber 19 also has collapsible walls and is contained in a cylinder 20 in which is slidably mounted a piston 21 fixed to the upper wall of the chamber 19. It will be liquid will be forced into the chamber 19 and the piston 21 will be forced upwardly,

and in proportion to the ratio of the cross.

section of the chamber 15 to that of the chamber 19.

The feed-water valve 7 comprises a plunger 22 having a stem 23 fixed to an arm 24. The arm 24 is fixed to a pin 25 which passes out of the casing 26, and to this pin is fixed a second arm 27 which is pivotally connected tothe piston stem 28. A wei ht 29 tends at all times to force the arm 2 downwardly, and hence causes the chamber 19 to collapse more or less as the pressure of the liquid therein decreases. It will be seen that, by means of thi's apparatus, as the water level in the boiler lowers the tube 8 will expand, causing an expansion of the chamber 15. This will reduce the pressure in the chamber 19, and the weight 29 will then be at liberty to press the piston 21 downwardly and thus open somewhat more the valve 7 by raising the plunger 22. In this way the flow of water into the boiler is increased to compensate for the greater outflow which caused the water level to sink.

My system comprises also secondary means for controlling the opening of the feed-water valve. The function of these means is to vary the opening of the valve more or less, depending upon the drop in water pressure through the valve. As is well understood, the pressure of the water in the inlet side 35 of the valve casing is necessarily greater than the ressure on the outlet side 36, in order to orce the water into the boiler. If, for any reason, the pres sure in the inlet 35 increases, during otherwise normal operation, thiswill increase the pressure drop through the valve, and it becomes desirable to close somewhatmore the feed-water valve sothat the water level in the boiler will not have to vary so much in order to properly control the valve opening by means of the thermostat 8. To accomplish this I provide a casing 37. In thiscasing is mounted a movable plate 38. Above the plate is mounted a collapsible chamber 39 and below the plate is mounted a collapsible chamber 40. The chamber 39 is connected, by means of pipes 41, with the inlet 35 of the valve, and the chamber is connected, by means of pipes 42, with the outlet 36 of the valve. As a consequence of this arrangement the plate 38 is raised as the drop in pressure through the valve decreases, and is lowered when the drop in pressure therethrough increases. Surrounding the chamber 40 is an annular chamber 43 which is connected to the chamber 19 by means of pipes 44. I

By this arrangement it will be seen that, as the pressure in the inlet 35 increases the plate 38 will be forced downwardly and thus will cause the chamber 43 to collapse and oil contained therein will be forced downwardly into the chamber 19 and in this manner the valve plunger 22 will be closed more, thus decreasing the flow of water through the valve which was increased by the increase in pressure in the inlet 35. Less variation in the water level in the boiler will then properly vary the opening of the valve 7 in order to meet the needs of the boiler. Stops 45 limit the downward movement of the plate 38 so as to prevent entire closing of the valve.

My system contemplates also control of the opening of the valve 7 by means of variatibns in the .fiow of steam from the boiler through the steam main 50. Any suitable restricted orifice can be provided in this pipe. I prefer for the purpose a gate valve 51, this valve normally being partly closed, and the flow of steam therethrough being controlled, preferably, by

means of an ordinary throttle valve 52 or in any other suitable manner. If the throttle valve 52 is opened the flow of steam will increase through the valve 51 and the drop in pressure therethrough will also increase. Therefore, when desired, the inlet side of the valve.51 may be connected to the chamber 40 by means of pipes 53 and the outlet side of the valve 51 may be connected to the chamber 39 by means of a pipe 54. When the valves 55 are closed, thus shutting oif communication between the valve 7 and the chambers 39 and 40, the valves 56 may be opened, thus connecting the inlet and outlet sides of the valve 51 with the respective chambers 39. and 40.

It will thus be seen that, as the drop in pressure through the valve 51 increases by the greater flow of steam therethrough, the

plate 38 will; be forced upwardly, thus reducing the pressure of the oil in the chamber 19 and allowing the weights 29 to open somewhat more the valve 7, so that the flow to the boiler will be increased to care for the greater evaporation therein.

By varying the setting of the valve 51, the drop in steam pressure therethrough will vary and this will, in turn, vary the effect of the change in load on the feed-water valve.

It will be obvious that, by duplicating the casing 37, with the enclosed collapsible chambers, one of these sets of chambers could. be suitably connected to the inlet and outlet of the feed-water valve 7, and the other connected to the inlet and outlet of the 01ifice 51 so that the feed water valve opening would be controlled by the fall in pressure through both valve 7 and orifice 51. Or if desired these chambers could be connected with other portions of the system.

A art of my system has for its function soun ing an alarm in case of abnormal operation of the controlling apparatus. A pipe 60 connects a collapsible chamber 61 with the annular chamber 15, and on the chamber 61 is mounted a piston 62, playing in the cylinder 63. If there should be a rupture of the oil system such as a break in the pipe 18, the pressure in the chamber 15 would'disappear, and the spring 64 would force the piston 62 down and open the whistle valve 65, and thus sound an alarm.

Or, if, for any reason, the water level in the boiler became dangerously low the expansion tube 8 would expand and allow the valve to open until stopped by the adjustable stop 66. This would also relieve the pressure in the chambers 15 and 61, and cause.

the alarm to sound.

I clalm as my invention:

1. A valve adapted to transmit a fluid in combination with means depending on the variations in the fall in fluid pressure through said valve for varying the opening of said valve, said means comprising three collapsible chambers, one end of each of said chambers being movable but fixed with reference to each other, the other ends of said chambers being immovable, communicating means connecting one of said chambers with the inlet of said valve, communieating, means connecting another of said chambers with the outlet of said valve, and means operati ely connecting said third chamber to sai valve.

2. The combination of a boiler, a feedwater valve for said boiler, said valve having an inlet, an outlet and a closure, a first collapsible chamber, a pipe connecting said chamber with the inlet of said valve, a second collapsible chamber, a pipe connecting said chamber with the outlet of said valve, a third collapsible chamber, means operatively connecting said third chamber with said valve, one end of each of said chambers being fixed immovably, the other ends of said chambers being movable but fixed relative to each other.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2, in which said boiler has a steam main, and an orifice in said main, and apipe connecting the inlet of said orifice with the pipe connecting said second chamber with the outlet of said valve, a pipe connecting the outlet of said orifice with the pipe con necting said first chamber with the inlet of said valve,and avalve in each of said pipes.

4. The combination of a boiler system having a steam main and a feed-water valve,

I said main havingan orifice therein, a collapsible chamber, communicating means connecting said chamber with the outlet side of side orifice, a second collapsible chamber, communicating means connecting said second chamber with the inlet of said orifice, a thirdv collapsible chamber, and meansoperatively connecting said third chamber with said valve, one end of each of said chambers being fixed and the other ends being movable but fixed with reference to each other.

5. The combination according to claim 2 in which said chambers have a common movable end plate.

6. The combination according to claim 2 in which said chambers have a common movable end plate, and said first chamber is positioned on the side-of the plate opposite the others.

7. A boiler feed-water, regulator system comprising a feed-water valve, a thermostat adapted to expand and contract as the water level in the boiler sinks and rises, and hydraulic "means comprising a collapsible chamber operatively connectedv with said valve, a collapsible chamber operatively connected with said thermostat, and fluid communicating means operatively connecting saidchambers, the cross sectional area of said thermostat chamber being many times 8. A boiler and a feed-water valve adapt-,

ed to pass water to said boiler, in combination with means for varying the opening of said valve inversely with the variations in the fall in pressure therethrough, said means comprising four colla sible chambers, one end of each of said ambers being fixed, the other end of each chamber being mov able, the movable ends of three of said chambers being fixed with reference to each other, one of said three chambers being operatively connected with the inlet side of said valve, another of said three chambers being operatively connected with the outlet of said valve, and the other of said three chambers being operatively connected with the said fourth chamber, and means opera tively connecting the movable end-of said fourth chamber with the closure of said valve.

9. A boiler feed-water regulator system comprising a feed-water valve, a thermostat adapted to expand and contract as the water level in the boiler sinks and rises, and hy-- draulic means connecting said thermostat with said valve, said hydraulic means comprising a first collapsible chamber, the ends of said chamber being fixed with reference to the respective ends of said thermostat, a second collapsible chamber having a cross sectional area much less than that of saidhand.

VINCENT V, VEENSCHOTEN. 

